Spitfire
by Nami1503
Summary: After discovering her boss' evil plans and have been mutated into mutant lizard, Mona Lisa escapes to the sewers where she makes unlikely new friends. Mona Lisa and the TMNT gang team up to stop the new evil in New York City, fight old enemies and help find Mona Lisa's mother who been abducted by unknown crime gang. *Season 6 and 7 don't exist to me, and I'm bad at summaries.*
1. Prologue

"Come on, Mona. Don't you ever feel coop up in this old dingy place?"

"Sorry, Jack, but unlike you, I actually like this place. It makes me feel homey."

"Ooh, you terrify me, Mona Lisa Rockwell."

I let out a small chuckle and look up at my co-worker, Jack, who was sitting on my desk while I finish my evening work. He's the only one who stands out in this place. It's probably because of his red hair, or that he plays pranks on everyone, or the fact that he hits on me every day. Still, he makes an effort every day just to talk me even when I don't talk to anyone. He is the only friend I've in this joint.

"Hey, why don't you come with me to this new bar on Avenue?" Jack asks.

"You know I'm underage right?" I look at him incredulously.

"They wouldn't be able to tell the difference," he waves a hand off at me. "I mean look at you, you're hot. More than hot. Sexy. Pretty. Shall I go on?"

"I'm not attractive, Jack," I say. "And I seriously think they _would_ be able to tell an eighteen year old sneaking into a bar on a Wednesday night. They probably get twenty girls a night trying to sneak into bars."

"Yeah, but if you show them your boobs, you might be able to get in anyways." says Jack.

"You're insane." I say, and I shut off my computer. I get up from my chair then I gather up my research and grab my purse. I start walking to the nearest exit.

"You have to get out of this place and start living up a little," Jack says as he follows me. "If you ditch the glasses, let out your hair down once in a while, and lose the librarian outfit, you'll be one foxy lady. Although some guys find the librarian look very hot."

"Thanks for mentally scarring me for life," I scowl at him. "You know, sooner or later, someone is going to send a complaint about your sexual harassments to the female staff."

"Says you," a lazy grin appear on his face. "I'm adorable."

"Whatever helps you sleep at night." I punch out my card and check out. Jack does the same and we walk out the door together. The only light that is showing is the glowing moon. The cold wind of autumn hits my face. It's quite refreshing if it wasn't freezing cold.

"Okay, Mona, this is your last chance. Come with me and have the time of your life, or you just can go home and be miserable."

"Hmmm, being miserable does sound appealing," I say dryly.

"I'm serious," All the playfulness vanished from his face and his green eyes become somber. That's one of the weird quirks about him. He may act like an immature teenager, but at times, he can stop acting foolish and start acting like his age. "Come with me."

"Thanks, but no thanks. I have to catch a ferry ride to Brooklyn. Plus, my mom will get worry if I don't get home soon."

"Are you sure? I can still walk with you to the ferry."

"It's okay, really. Now go get yourself a drunk girl who's been recently dump by her boyfriend and needs a shoulder to cry on."

"If you're really okay with it," he hesitates. "I guess it's okay. You know what I still can't get over the fact? That you live in Brooklyn and you don't even have an accent. Tell me what's wrong with that."

"I guess that's one of the few interesting qualities that I have," I shrug. "At least I don't talk like those thugs on the streets. I think have to kill myself if I ever date a guy with a Brooklyn accent."

"You make an excellent point, Mona Lisa," his cocky grin appearing on his face again as he turn back into his usual good self. "I believe this where we part ways, Miss."

"See you tomorrow, Jack," I wave goodbye to Jack and I began walking my way to the ferry boats. I could hear the traffic noises from the streets up ahead. The only lights that are showing is the moon and the yellow light of a nearby lamppost. While I was digging my wallet out my purse to pay for the ticket to my ride home. I hear the sound of a window breaking and when I looked up, I'm horrified.

A rat scurries by, but that doesn't scares me. What scares is that a much of Purple Dragons are breaking into a nearby car and they all are looking directly at me. They stop what they are doing and come towards me.

While the Purple Dragon are coming close to me. I clung to the pepper spray key chain I have on my purse. And I slowly back away from the approaching gangsters.

"Bad timing, babe," says the one with a purple dragon tattoo on his face. Who's standing close to me. Way too close. I can smell his breath breathing on my face. He reeks of alcohol and I'm about to gag.

"You can say that again," I say grimly. I took up my chance, I yank the cap off of the pepper spray and I spray it right into his face. He screams in pain as the pepper stings his eyes. When he succumbs to the ground, I start running as fast as I can to get away from them.

Before I can get any help, a Purple Dragon tackles me to the ground. The hair that I had pin-up falls out like a waterfall as I'm struggling to get this brute off me.

I start to scream, but my attacker covers my mouth with his hand. More Purple Dragons are coming to hold me down. One already took my purse while the others hold me firm to the ground. I close my eyes and I wait for my depending doom.

When suddenly the sound of shattering glass come to my senses. I open my eyes and all I can see is darkness. The light of the lamppost is gone and the heavy weight on me is also gone. I can't see anything, but all I can hear is the sounds of grunts, moans and punches.

Then a bright light is shine on me and I could hear police sirens up ahead the street. All around me are tied up Purple Dragons and my knight shining armor is gone. I let out a sigh of relief. I'm saved.

As the police cars are coming towards me, something caught my eye. It seems to be some sort of weapon, but it isn't a gun or knife. It looks like a baton with two curved prongs on it. I pick up the weapon off the ground and I take a closer look.

It's a sai. What's a sai doing here in New York? Did my savior had this when he saved me? Who is he?

As more questions pop into my head about my savior. I unthinkably put the sai in my purse as the policemen are coming towards me. Something else also caught my eye, too. Someone or something is poking out of the sewer cover and he's looking directly at me. Then I can no longer see him as the sewer cover is seal back into the ground once again.

My night could not get any more weird.


	2. Green Men

**Disclaimer I do not own Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. They belong to Peter Laird and Kevin Eastman. The oc are the I created.**

* * *

After the policemen arrested the Purple Dragons, two police officers came up to me and offered me a ride home. After everything that happen to me tonight, how can I refuses the offer? But, I'm starting to think that I should have reconsidered the offer.

Right now, I'm in the backseat in police car with middle-aged old man and a curly-haired rookie, who could be in his early thirties, but I don't really know. What I do know that no one had talk in the last twenty minutes. It was only a thirty minutes drive back to Brooklyn, but the silence didn't help at all, it only made the car ride seem longer. I knew should had gone on the ferry.

Despite the awkward silence, there was couple things on my mind. Who was the guy who saved me? Why did he not want to be seen? Where did he go? And why do I still have the sai in my purse? I should had turn in to police, but I don't what came over me. I didn't want the guy saved me get in trouble, but I don't be in trouble for hiding evidence to a crime scene, I am technically like criminal now. All I have to do is keep my mouth and everything will-

"Hey, how you are doing?"

The sudden voice snaps me out of my reverie and I almost hit my head on the car ceiling. I look up and I see the curly-haired rookie looking at me with big eyes like I'm going to drop kick him all the way to China Town. I took a deep breath and I know I'm not on the streets, I'm in a safe place.

"Sorry," I apologize. "I guess I'm bit jumpy."

"It's alright, after getting almost nab by the Purple Dragons can leave you little tense."

Nab?

"I thought they were just trying to mug me." I say. "Why would they want to nab me?"

"Well, I don't know, really," he scratches his head. "Lately, the Purple Dragons have been kidnapping random people off the streets and-"

"Eastman," a stern voice echoes in the car. "That's classified information and that is only for the NYPD to know, not civilians. We do not want to get this out to the public."

"Sorry, Laird," he apologizes to the middle-aged man who is driving the car. "It slip my mind."

Perfect. That's just what I need, not only I have to look in every corner from now on, but if my mom ever finds out, she would make me quit my job at the Reach and that's the last thing I want. We need the money. I won't let her. She had always taken care of me when I was little, and, now it's my turn to take care of her.

Besides, the money I made at the Reach finally gives us enough money to move to Manhattan next week. I can't give up now. We're almost there.

"So, did you see them?" The officer called Eastman whispers to me.

"See who?" I ask back.

"The Green Men."

The _what_?

"Eastman!" Officer Laird scolds his curly-haired partner. "Don't fill this poor girl's head with your imaginary stories about green-skinned men."

"But it's true!" he protests and turns back to me. "Three years ago, some little green men came up to our car in an armored truck and threw a bunch of money at us!" I look at him like he is crazy. There's no way, men can have green skin. It's Impossible.

"Sorry, I didn't see who came to save me. It happen so quick." The officer sulks that it's wasn't the green men who saved me tonight. It soon became quiet in the police car again. I left my thoughts wander back to the one who rescued me and how he was gone in flash. Also I think back how I saw someone poking out of the sewers. I wonder if he was the one saved me. If he did, I want to thank him for saving me.

* * *

"We are here," announces Officer Laird. "Sunny Side Apartments."

"What so sunny about it?" mumbles Officer Eastman.

He's right. My mother and I live in the bad part of Brooklyn. Before I got my job at the Reach, my mom had to work two shifts a night to afford ourselves. Not to mention, I was known as a child prodigy back when I was a kid and started college at the age of twelve, therefore, I had put a lot stress on my mom, so I could continue college. I'm gradually returning the favor to my mom, she deserves it.

Silently, I open the car door and slowly made my way to the stairs leading up to the apartments. The policemen tag along right behind me as I lead them up on three flight of stairs. My apartment is on the left end of the last floor of the stairs. I made no attempt to knock on the door, I don't know how to explain to my mom that I was almost mugged/kidnapped by the Purple Dragons, the most violent gang in New York City. The older policeman reaches up behind me and knocks on the door. I can hear her scuffling inside. Crap! I'm not ready for this.

The door swings open to show my mother. A small gasp comes from the curly-haired officer. That's the usual reaction when people first meet my mom. See, I'm biracial, and my mother is Japanese, but the only thing we share is the same olive skin.

I got most of my traits from dad; he was Caucasian. _'Was'_ is the key word. My father died in a car accident. I was only nine years old when he died. His death hit me and my mom hard, but somehow we made it through. My mom says I look a lot like him. The same dark brown hair and pale blue eyes.

Ever since my dad died, my mom turns into overprotective parent and she haven't change since.

"Mona Lisa, what's going on?" Her voice comes out panicked. Her eyes alternate with the police officers and me. "What happen?"

"Your daughter came across a couple of Purple Dragons and-" says Officer Eastman.

"What?!" my mother cuts him off. Her eyes become wide as dinner plates and her expression is heart-wrenching. I'm literally going to kill him. The last thing I want to do is to make my mother worry about me.

"But," interjects Officer Laird and he sends a glare to his partner. "We got there in time and your daughter is alright. There's nothing to worry about."

"I see," my mom let out a sigh. "Thank you, officers. I'll take everything from here now." Then she gives the officers a nod telling they can go and it soon was just me and my mother left alone. My mother turns to me and gave me a look that says 'get inside now.' Obediently, I step into our apartment, all cramp and dingy. This is why I actually like my work place so much, because anything is better than this crapsack apartment.

I hear the door shuts quietly and I bite my tongue for the upcoming argument we are about to have. I slowly turn around and saw my mom with her arms cross around her chest .

"I knew having that job would be dangerous," she says sternly. I say nothing when she this angry, there's no way of fighting back. "The last thing I want for you is to get hurt. Tomorrow, I want you to call the Reach and tell them you're resigning."

"No!" I shout. "Because of my job, we finally have enough money to move to Manhattan next week. Why do you want to throw it all away?" I look at her straight into the eye of her piercing gray eyes. "This is what we work for. What you work for."

"I know," she says, and she runs a hand through her hair, frustrated. "But if it's going to put you in harm's way, maybe it's better if we stay here. Where it's safe."

"Mom," I say gently, then I walk over to her by the front door and I take hold of her hands. "We live in New York City, there will always be danger no matter where we go."

"I only want you to be safe," she says, quietly. "If anything happens to you..." she was unable to finish the sentence. Despite her being overprotective, she does have her reasons being so. When my dad died, it almost killed her. I'm all she's has left, and she is to me, too.

"I know, Mom," I say, I pull my mom into a tight hug. "Just you wait Mom, one more week and then we'll have all we ever dreamed of."

"Mona Lisa, we're moving to a loft above an abandoned old firehouse." she chuckles. "How is that all we ever dreamed of?"

"At least it'll be ours, anything is better than this crapatrment." I pull back to press my forehead to my Mom's. I closed my eyes. "Mom, let me keep my job. Let me do this for you."

She makes a sigh of defeat. "I can't change your mind, can I? You are dead set for me to have my own shop, aren't you?" She looks up at me and smirks.

"Yes," I smirk back. "Just think about it, Mom, all our hard work is finally paying off. Soon, you'll be the most finest seamstress in New York City and people will be lining up at your shop just to have your finest dresses."

"What about you?"

This is a surprise. "_Me?_" I never really thought about myself too much. I usually focus too much in my work or my mother's dream. I'm not sure what I want. "I'm not really sure."

"Surely there's something you that want, Mona Lisa." She breaks apart from the hug and she goes over where I call it her work area. Over there is her sewing machine and various colors of fabric all cramped over into one little table. Over by her table is four sets of mannequins, one's wearing a sky blue colored dress with a deep cut in the back. Around the waist there's a sash wrapped around it that it's ties into a bow. The fabric shimmers like tiny stars sew together into a dress. It's beautiful. But a dress that fancy is probably for one of her customers.

She removes the dress off the mannequin and walks over back to me. Then she holds the dress up to me to take it. I just stare back and forth at the dress and her. I'm not sure what's going on.

"I always dream for you to meet someone, and fall in love." she says gently. "Just like your father and I did. And one day, I make you wear the most beautiful dress I ever made for you. A wedding dress on your wedding day."

My eyes widen. I never really thought about love before, I never really have time for it. I didn't have any friends when I was growing up, so I never thought a boy in that way.

"That's really nice, Mom, but," I walk away from my mom and move closer to my bedroom door. "I don't really have time for that."

"But-"

"It's getting late," I cut her off. "I have a lot of work to do in the morning, so I need to wake up early tomorrow."

"Alright," she says numbly. She looks disappointed like that dress was meant for me.

I turn my back to her and reach for the door knob. Just when I pull it open-

"Mona Lisa," her voice stops me completely. I was so close. I don't want to hear this conversation anymore "Is there anything else you want to tell me?"

Take your pick. The one with the sai, that was still in my purse, I found in the middle of the street where I was almost mugged. The thing I saw poking out of the sewers. Or the story about the Green Men told by lunatic police officer.

"Nope!" I finally say, my voice comes out shrill. I quickly open the door and enter inside my room. I poke my head out of the door. "There's nothing else to talk about. Night, Mom!"

"Good night, Mona Lisa." She says wearily. I slowly shut the door behind me and I'm left alone to my thoughts. Will this night ever end?

All the energy drains out of me and I lean against the wood. I slide down the door to the ground. I'm so tired but I'm still restless. I grab my purse and reach for the sai and take it out of my purse. I look at it as it's the answer to all my questions. I left out a frustrated sigh and I got up from the floor and walk over to my mirror.

My eyes meet the girl in the mirror with the same pale blue as mine. There's a part of me that seeks out adventure and follow my heart, but there's also another side that I should be cool and calculating and stick to the status quo. My third side is the one trying to calm the other two and seek a compromise between them, but it's losing the battle, badly.

I turn my eyes back to the sai again. I can't get the guy who saved me tonight out my mind. Maybe he can help me with my problems, too. I touch the dull tip of the sai with my index finger. The cool metal feels good against my skin as it ease away my worries away. Normally, it's a dual wielding weapon but there's only one. The other pair is probably with its owner. He probably wondering where's his other pair. I should return this to him, but how do I find him. Why do I keep on making more questions instead of answers?

I shut my eyes and lean my against the cool glass of the mirror. My breath feels shaky, like I'm falling but no one's there to catch me. It's too hard to consider my feelings. I take a deep breath and try to focus, but I can't.

I need to go to bed. I can figure out everything in the morning. Then I _will_ know what to do then. When I finally open my eyes and look back at my reflection in the mirror. I don't believe what I'm seeing at my mirror. Outside my window by the fire escape is what appears to be a man with green skin and wearing a red bandanna over his eyes.

Disorientation freezes my movements, and my brain, I'm not sure what to do. I open my mouth, but nothing comes out. I gather up the courage to turn around, but it's too late. He's already gone.

I walk over to my window and grip the window sill. I lift the latch to my window's lock and I pull it up and then I peer my head out the window. No one. No trace of anyone out here. I think it's my head playing tricks on me. I really need to get some sleep. Set for bed, I put my hands to close my window-

"Damn."

A quiet whisper, but loud enough for me to hear. My mind isn't playing games. Someone was here outside my window and he want something from me. I couldn't go to bed now. I close my window and I walk over to my abandon purse on the ground by my door. I dig out for my phone and pressed speed dial.

When there are things I can't tell my mom about and I have no one else to confide to. There's one person who will be there to help me with my problems. His name is Jack.

"Hey, Jack."I say, shortly. "It's me, Mona Lisa. I know it's late, but there's something that I need to talk to you about. How much do you know the Green Men?"

* * *

Sorry, it took so long. I want to give a shout out to the first three reviewers who first read my story. Spread the word about my fanfic! :D Take your time to review, I love feedback. I will try to update sooner! Thanks for Reading!


	3. Welcome to the Reach Institute

_**Disclamer: I do not own Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. They belong to Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird. I merely write for enjoyment. I only own the ocs to the story.**_

**_XXXXX_**

_Beeep! Beeep! Beeep!_

The ear-splitting rings are the first thing that I hear. My eyes immediately snap open, wide awake. I sit up straighten up from my lying place on my bed. I take a look at my surroundings. I'm in my room at Sunny Side Apartments in Brooklyn, New York.

I look down at myself and I'm still wearing the same clothes that I wore last night. Also I somehow managed to fall asleep with my glasses still on. My hair is a mess, and I probably look like a mess. I start to out of my bed when my fingers grope at something hard and smooth. Just by the feel I know it's a hilt. I look down and see over by my left hand is the sai from last night.

How did that get into my bed?

Suddenly, I'm lucid. Last night when I was walking to the ferry I encountered the Purple Dragons and they tried to mug me or kidnap me or whatever. Then, I was mysteriously saved by someone of the night and all I have for a memento was his sai. And when I came home, he somehow managed to track me to my apartment and then he vanished into the night. Oh yeah, also he was also a guy with green skin and a red mask. It turns out that the curly officer's story of green men might be true.

I remember calling Jack about it. He sounded skeptical as well as I did at first, but when I told him the sai I founded, he immediately shuts up. He said that we will talk more about this in morning and we said goodbye to each other.

I still felt scared for what happen to me last night. So, I took the sai off of my dresser then I curled up on my bed and I gave it a squeeze to comfort me.

That's probably when I finally fell asleep.

_Beeep! Beeep! Beeep!_

I look over at my nightstand and it comes to me now that the one who awoke me up was my alarm clock. I quickly turn off my alarm and set the sai down next to it. Hopping out my bed. I start to get ready for today. I change out of the clothes from what I wore last night and I pick out a purple long sleeve shirt and a below the knee black skirt with matching black high heels. I put my hair into the usual tight bun and let two strands frame around my face.

I pick up my purse off the floor exactly where I left it from last night. Then I pick up the sai from the nightstand and tuck it into my purse. I've proof to show Jack that my Syfi story was true. I grip the knob to open the door and when I do, I see a pitch of black smoke and the smell of burnt food.

"Mom!" I shouts. "What are you burning this time?!"

Instead of being by the stove, she was over by her work area sewing a pink frilly dress. Surrounded by boxes of our stuff so we can move next week, but we still have a lot of packing to do.

Mom looks surprise but she ends up smiling. "Good Morning, Mona Lisa. Breakfast almost ready."

"Mom, I told you account less of times before to never leave food unattended!" I dash over to the stove while moving carefully around every box that was on the floor. I finally reach the stove and I turn the stove off. "The eggs... Arrrgh, you even ruined the bacon, too!"

"Since you're going to work early this morning, I thought I could cook breakfast for you."

"That's sweet, Mom, but," I say. "you can't cook! Remember all the times the fire department had to come over to our apartment to put out all the fires!"

"Well, I felt like I could do it today." says Mom, frowning a little. "Sorry about your breakfast."

"It's okay, Mom. I'll just have breakfast to go I need to get to work anyway." I say, throwing out the burned eggs and bacon into the trash. I walk over to the cabinet and I take out a bag of bagels and slices one in half. Spreading the cream cheese on it and taking one bite while I'm getting ready.

"Mom, have you seen my research papers," I say, while chewing the bagel in my mouth. "I need them for Dr. Rickman!"

"They're on the kitchen table!"

As I went over to the table and collect my papers, I heard a rumble of a truck coming outside. Curious, I went over to the window and peered out.

A giant black pickup truck was over by the building across the street. Even though I couldn't see who was in it, but I manage to caught a flash of white hair and piercing blue eyes. They were looking up at me. Startled, I slowly back away from the window. There was something wrong about those eyes... they were so... malicious.

As I turned around, I let out a small gasp when I bumped into Mom, who was standing right behind me."Mom! Don't do that!" I shout. "You nearly gave me a heart attack."

She didn't answer me, nor did she even look at me. Her eyes were widen and her jaw hardened. Her eyes were train on the window. I followed the trail of her eyes back to the truck down the streets. I'm beginning to feel worry. Does she knows who that is?

"Mom, are you okay?"

She took her eyes off the truck and narrowed them at me. "It's getting late," Her voice was sharp. "You need to go to work."

"What?"

"Go now," she says as she grabbed my arm and leaded me to the door. "You don't have to worry about coming home tonight Stay out as long as you like. You can even hangout with your funny friend, Jack."

"But I thought tonight we were going to do more packing?"

"I can take care of that. Please just go."

"Mom..."

"No buts!" she cuts me off, leaving no room for an argument. "Go now!" she pushed me out the door and shuts the door in my face.

Hurt and little confused, I forced myself to walk away from the door and head for the stairs. Why was she being so brash? I didn't do anything wrong. I was just wondering what was outside. I never seen her so spooked before. Was it because of that man? Maybe I'll ask her what's wrong tonight.

I made my way down the stairs while taking small bites of my bagel. Still feeling dejected for being push out by my own mother.

When I finally made it out of the apartment, the black pickup truck that was once parked in front of the other building is gone.

_That's weird._ I thought as I stare into the empty street where the black truck once was. There's something wrong that I can't put my finger to it. Why was mom acting so strange? Who was that man with the white hair. With those icy blue eyes. I can't those eyes out of my head. Those eyes... those were the eyes of a killer.

"Hey!"

"Aaaaaah!"

_Smack!_

A voice came right behind and the someone put their hand on my shoulder. I let out a cry and with all my strength I could muster, I slap the man behind me. He crashes on to the ground below me and when I turned around, it's the too familiar red hair that I know too well.

"Ow!" yelps Jack as he clutches his cheek in his hand."It's me, Mona. I wasn't trying to scare you."

"Too late for that," I say, "What are you doing here?" I extended a hand to Jack and he accepts. I pull him off the ground as a red swollen bruise appears on his face. Then he shrugs and smirks at me.

"I'm here to ask you out on date," says Jack as his smirk got bigger and bigger.

"You're such a bad liar." I say unimpressed.

"No, it's true," he continues to lie. "I realize last night that I'm in love with you."

"Losing my patience, Jack." I say clenching my teeth.

"Okay, kill-joy" he gives in. "I came to check up on you and make sure you get to work safely."

"Jack, you don't have to."

"I think I do," he says, Jack puts his arms around my shoulders and starts leading me to the ferry. "Also, I think we can use this time to catch up from our little talk from last night."

I look up at him surprised. Clearly he wants to hear more about my savior.

"Now where were we... oh yeah! We were at the part where you founded the salad tong."

**XXXXX**

"So, let me get this straight," says Jack as he grasps the sai and examines it closely. We are in my office again and he's at his usual spot on my desk and I'm sitting in my chair by my computer. We're both wearing our identical lab coats because mostly it's for personal safety and that every scientist is require to wear one. "Some guy saved you with this salad tong..."

"It's a sai!" I correct.

"Whatever, and he followed you back to your apartment and you described him as a man with green skin and wearing a red bandana."

"Yes."

"Hmmm..." he puts down the sai on my desk. Then he puts a hand to my forehead and his other hand touching his own. "You don't have a fever, but I can write you a prescription for being delusional."

"Shut up!" I remove his hand off my forehead and gave him a glare to make him stop making jokes about my story. "I know what I saw and it really _did_ happen. You have the sai to prove it."

"I know," says Jack steely. "But, it's hard to believe a green man came to your apartment and disappeared in a flash. But what I do believe that the Purple Dragons have been kidnapping people off the streets."

"Yeah," I agreed. Even though, he knows nothing about the green men. Which is kind of letdown. However, he has a vast knowledge of all the street gangs in Manhattan.

"Even though I don't know why the Purple Dragons are kidnapping people, but I don't want to know." He looks at me gravely and rest his hand on my shoulder. "From now on I'm walking with you wherever you go."

"Jack, don't make jokes." I took his hand off my shoulder and I grab the sai off on my desk into my lab coat pocket. It's big enough to fit the sai in there. I turn away from him, until he swings me around in my chair to face him and he grips both hands on to my shoulder to hold me still.

"I'm serious, Mona Lisa!" He shouts at me, I'm throw by surprise by the tone of his voice and that he called me by my full name. He never calls me by my full name. I never seen him look so serious before. "Something fishy is going on, I can feel it in my gut. And you need to stay away from that guy!"

"Why?" I ask.

"I think your sai-guy might be with the Foot Clan."

"The who clan?"

"Well," he says as he takes his hands off my shoulders and runs his hand through his auburn hair. "I don't blame you for not knowing them, not many do. Only a few people know about their existence and some never live to tell the tale. But, all I know that they're a ninja clan made up of assassins and thieves. No one knows what they do, but you don't want to cross them. Their last boss was a pretty scary dude."

"Who was he?"

"I don't know, some say that he died, or he went back to Japan, but I believe he's out there somewhere hiding. I don't know his real name, but he goes by the name of the Sh-"

"Ah, hiding in my assistant's office again, Dr. Avery?"

Jack nearly fell off my desk and almost dragging me down with him. Over by the door is Dr. Rickman, he's the head of the biochemistry department and my boss. Dr. Rickman gives off a friendly impression. He has blond hair and green eyes behind his square glasses.

If it wasn't for him, I would never gotten my job as his assistant. He has been my mentor and my friend for over a year now.

"Well," Jack manages to say after the shock of Dr. Rickman appearing out of nowhere. "Mona just couldn't get her hands off of-oomph!"

I elbow Jack in the stomach before he could even finish that sentence. While Jack was cowering in pain, I push-off of my chair and walk over to Dr. Rickman.

"I'm really sorry about him, Dr. Rickman," I say. "He can be a colossal idiot sometimes."

"Yeah, the colossal idiot who you just elbowed in the stomach." whimpers Jack.

"So, what brings you here Dr. Rickman?" I ask, ignoring Jack on the floor.

"I just wanted to swing by and tell you that the new interns are waiting by the main entrance for their Chief of Intern to give them a tour." Says Dr. Rickman.

Crap! That's me! I forgot today is the day when I have to show the newly picked interns around the Reach Institute.

"Also," says Dr. Rickman, interrupting my thoughts. "After you're done, I want you to meet me in my office so we can talk more about our...project."

"Of course, I'm not done with the equation yet, but I'm sure we can still compare notes."

"Sounds good to me. I will see you soon, Mona Lisa." Dr. Rickman smiles warmly at me and he takes his leave. As he walk in the hall way, I somehow feel paranoid, that warm smile that he just had didn't extend to his eyes. His eyes looked... different. I shook my head. I'm probably just over-thinking. As far as I know, Dr. Rickman is the nicest person I ever know.

"So," I look over my shoulder and see Jack getting up from the floor still clutching his stomach. "What is this wonderful project that you and Dr. Rickman are working anyways?"

"Well," I say as I walk past him to pick up the clipboard on my desk for the tour with the interns. "It's still rough round the edges, but I think we may have found a new way to help people."

"What is it?"

"Crossing-species genetics."

There is a long period of silence. Jack just stood still not moving an inch. All that he could do was to stared at me incredulously and open and close his mouth like a dead fish. I sighed and I walk out the room leaving him there. I guess that must be the general reaction to hearing Dr. Rickman and mine's research.

I hear footsteps follow me and I quicken my pace. I reach the elevator and press the down button to go downstairs. I'm in no mood to deal with him. I won't mock for a fool because the idea of creating new way for helping people is ridiculous.

The elevator goes _ping _and the doors open for me. I press the button for level one and the doors begin to close. Until a hand shots out to stop it from closing. He barely manages to squeeze past the doors but he made it through just in time for the doors to close.

"Thanks for leaving me hanging back there," says Jack as he out of breath.

"Look, Jack," I say frustrated. "If you are just here to fun make me, I swear, I'll elbow in the stomach again!"

Jack holds up his hands in surrender. "Calm down, I'm not here to poke fun. I'm here to know how this cross-species works."

I stare at him for a while. I'm not sure is this one of his tricks, but he looks pretty earnest. I guess I have no choice.

"Like I said before, our project that Dr. Rickman and I are working on is cross-species genetics." I say. Jack's silence confirms that he's wasn't here to joke. "We are hoping that with the combination of human and animal's DNA so we can use it to help people regrow their limbs and human tissue."

"Like regeneration?"

"Exactly," I smile at him. "Just the other day, we injected the serum into a three-legged mouse and a couple of seconds later it fully regrown back."

"That's amazing, Mona!" says Jack in a full-out grin.

"I'm glad that you think so," I mutter.

"What?" He blinks.

I hesitate before answering. "As soon as the mouse regrew his leg back, he died shortly."

Jack shifts uncomfortably and then he lays his hand on my shoulder. "I'm sorry it didn't work."

"Don't be," I say quietly, I lift his hand off my shoulder. "Because Dr. Rickman hasn't given up hope just yet, neither am I. You see, have an idea to balance the equation, but if it doesn't work..."

"Mona Lisa," Jack cuts in. "If anything you aren't is ordinary, you can do this I have complete faith in you."

My lips twist up into a smile. Jack smiles back at me.

The elevator goes _ping_ and it opens the doors once more. I step out of the elevator while Jack hangs back.

"I believe we part ways, Mr. Avery."

He smirks. "That's my line! Have fun babysitting the wannabe interns!"

The elevator doors closes and I'm by myself once again. In a stylish hallway filled with fancy plated windows. The Reach Institute sure knows how to be ritzy on the inside and outside. On the outside, the building is big as a skyscraper with eighty floors and each floor has its own department. In the inside there are high ceilings, marble floors, with a sparkling fountain in the main it the perfect place for tours and showing new interns who want to pursue a science career.

A lot of businessmen come and go here, never staying for long. Most the people who work here are higher class. They were the type that grew up in a big fancy mansion, never have to worry about money because they had all the money they need. All because they have connection to everything. They never have to work hard for school, nor did they have to manage to get a full ride of a 4.0 to go to NYU. They never hace to live in a dingy apartment in downtown Brooklyn and have to face poverty, crime, thugs and full heart-break everyday. I'm not like them. Neither is Jack or Dr. Rickman.

I notice the interns who are waiting for me over by the fountain. All of them look eager to start the tour and some are getting impatient for waiting so long. My bad. I walk over to them but no one seems to notice me.

I clear my throat to get their attention. All of their heads turn towards me. I begin to introduce myself. "Welcome to the Reach Institute. I'm Mona Lisa Rockwell, I'm the chief intern and the assistant to Dr. Rickman. I'll be with you for the duration of your visit. Where I go, you go. No ifs, ands or buts about it. That's the rule. Remember that, all will be fine. If you forget that... then you'll..."

I trailed off from the introduction when something caught my eye. I look over behind the interns and my eyes lock on the four men over by the front desk. Identically, they're all wearing matching fedoras and long overcoats. They seem to be having an argument or some sort. They don't look like they're here for the tour.

"Excuse me," I pardon myself from the interns to see what's going on. I can't imagine them working here. They don't look like they work here either. If they're with the interns, then I should why they're here. However, I have this gut feeling that they're not here for the tour.

**XXXXX**

**Sorry it took a while to write this chapter. I had serious writer's block and school made me forget about this. I promise next time I'll update more. I hope you enjoy this chapter. Thanks for reading and the reviews.**


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